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Brandeis University junior Sarah Bierman stands alongside her rabbit installation project for class, which has turned into a campus-wide sensation this week.

By Jaclyn Reiss, Town Correspondent

If you've noticed an increase in rabbit sightings at Brandeis University this week, blame Sarah Bierman.

Bierman, a New York City native in her junior year at Brandeis, has taken a class project and turned it into a viral art installation campaign outlining her obsession with her favorite childhood animal: bunnies.

Bierman has staked nearly 100 wooden lifelike rabbits on the hill next to the campus library since Monday for a project grade in her intermediate sculpture class, and is now receiving campus-wide attention for the installation.

Bierman said her inspiration for the project came from her own joy upon sighting the animal all over the Brandeis' campus.

"When I see a bunny, I just want to run after it and make it my friend and make it my pet, but it just runs off and it’s a complete tease," Bierman said. "I was just sitting in the library one day thinking, 'What if there were bunnies everywhere?'"

The wood-and-paper rabbit project also provided Bierman with a direct connection to the Brandeis community.

"My goal with this project is to connect with complete strangers - I wanted to connect with people who are not in my immediate circle of friends," she said. "This causes people to see the bunnies and want to be a part of it."

And so far, people have. This morning, Brandeis' student activities department sent an email to the entire student body explaining Bierman's project and imploring students to leave the bunnies alone as she documents the installation for class.

The rabbit project has become so popular on campus that Bierman said she will offer the creations that she spent months crafting up for adoption at an event this Thursday at 11 a.m.

"My art history professor stopped by and said that once people see the bunnies, they'll want to have them," Bierman said. "I was shocked."

Her only caveat? The adoptive parents have to upload a picture of their bunny to a Facebook page she made after they take it home.

"If people want the bunnies, they should have the bunnies," Bierman said.